Election 2024 . Not that one, though the Trump victory is sure to influence some of what we are threatened and promised. presumably we'll have a date soon.

[DeanElderberry]

Any wise thoughts?

@MarieDeGournay

If that's the case, it'll be important to keep the pressure on about repealing the Gender Recognition Act etc - as I've said before, I got the impression from the canvassers and candidates I spoke to that they are a lot less gung-ho about it, and the referendum results gave them a bit of a reality check about public opinion about women's rights. I was always sceptical about the grass roots and backbenchers buying into the gender ideology stuff anyway, they just didn't dare speak up.

Although I don't agree with you, I completely respect your view. If repealing the GRA is important to someone they should put on pressure on parties with decent women's rights ideas to change their view.

Not throw all the women's rights under the bus by turning towards parties like Aontú - who only care about GRA and other trans issues in relation to women. Even their policy on increasing rape crisis centres, which on the surface seems positive, doesn't seem to be based on what organisations in this area are calling for which is more 24/7 sexual assaults clinics (we currently have one)

He is very popular in his own constituency & always has been. I thought he performed very well on the leaders debate. Most parties have what one person or another can consider to be very extreme views depending on your perspective.

Have you looked at Aontú's Operation Shamrock housing plan. It is fantastic, offering constitution workers abroad a chance to come home & provide work for them building the homes we desperately need as builders can't get staff. Wonderful for their families too who miss them terribly but they had no choice but to immigrate.

Getting Irish builders home will do very little to fix the housing crisis.

I don't think Aontú are completely nuts (the independent group fall into the completely bonkers category for me) but even if I agreed with one policy, their socially conservative, nationalist views are not in line with my own.

Well the builders need construction workers & skilled, qualified tradesmen to build the new homes & they are simply not here. They want to come home but there is nothing here for them, their parents & families miss them immensely.
Aontú's Operation Shamrock policy is a win win for all & is the best manifesto of the lot for creating new homes

Seperate to Operation Shamrock they also have this manifesto including what they plan to do with vacant buildings

https://aontu.ie/aontu-launches-housing-policy-in-dublin

Absoutley agree @mollyfolk

We need 80,000 more construction workers. They are targeting people who mostly left during the crash in 2008 , many who have set up lives elsewhere now. So we have no idea how well this would work and it definitely isn't the only answer.

I don't know if any of the parties have the answer to solving housing to be honest. Housing won't be solved anytime soon. I think the situation is so dire that it would take dramatic and unpopular changes to the planning laws for example.

On another note I wonder do Simon Harris now regret pulling a snap election. They were in power until March, there was no need for them to call it.
It was called 3 weeks out.. At that your campaign needs to be faultless to win the majority to remain in power. FGs campaign has been a disaster.. If they had given themselves the the time & lasted the course until March incidents like what happened in Kanturk would probably be forgotten..
I think calling this election was a big mistake for them. That's just my view.

It's a start though. Aontú won't get 80,000 back but the ones who do want to come home to Ireland would now have a real incentive to do so which is very important. Especially if they have elderly parents & families who want them home too. We need our youth back & they should be welcomed by the state with open arms if they wish to come home.

I think it's a really good proposal from Aontú, it's important to let those who are far from home (through no fault of their own) know they're still cared about. It also boosts morale to know there is a pathway back home, your country wants you back & appreciates the trades & skills you can offer.

Kanturk would not have happened if they hadnt called a general election?!!

It would have more than likely happened but there would have been time to iron out the optics & do damage control. Good PR stunts to help the people forget.
Then again he probably wouldn't have been canvessing in Kanturk at that time of year had they waited until March.
It was called as FG thought they were at the peak of their popularity & they would get a big win. How it backfired on them😁
I think they should have lasted the course they are handing their power over now 4 months earlier than they needed to.

I'm not sure they will be "handing their power over" I can honestly see them getting re-elected.

Anyway it'll all be over by Saturday and we can look forward to the Toy Show!

Its well known that goverments do badly in elections held in late winter/early spring.

Now your talking 😁🎅 Really liked Patrick Kielty last year, he was lovely with the kids, they got so much time & he never interrupted!
Will be tuning in to late late tomorrow night too, I just read the first exit polls will be announced on the show at 10 pm🫣

I saw earlier in this thread that Alastair Campbell will be on the late late tomorrow to discuss the election? Any body know if that is true? I hope so. He's great.

Really is it? Why?

@mollyfolk People are unhappiest in the months of January and February and more likely to vote against the government.

Interesting. Didn’t realise that but it makes sense.

That's very interesting. I'd say FG & FF are hoping the weather gods are behaving tomorrow so the elderly & the vulnerable voters can get to the polling stations. They especially rely on the elderly vote.

He actually said on his podcast a few weeks back that he would be.

I'm not sure what insight Alastair Campbell will be able to give into our election at 10pm on the night the polls close (and I do enjoy listening to him normally), even the most seasoned Irish political observers won't be able to call it at that stage as it will all depend on where the final seats go to and no exit poll will give us that info. I have to say I love watching where all of the transfers go after each count.

I agree with you@MintLion re Alastair Campbell and what insight he would have just as the polls close.
He and Tony Blair are unpopular on Mumsnet because of the Iraq war.
I like listening to him when he's on Irish radio.
I've listened to his podcast with Rory Stewart a few times.

Alastair Campbell and Rory Stewart are great on their podcast.
Think it will be Saturday evening before we start having a good idea. Transfers are so interesting.
I am only voting as far down as 5 candidates and I'm still deliberating my order for my top three.

Happy election day 😍
Great to see@ family A off to the polls agus ag vótáil Aontú!!

(and transferring to like minded, gender critical Independents only 😍, the tide is turning!)

This country has not forgotten that disgusting sphe "module".

Love it.

That is the definition of Irish wit.

Turn the insult inside out and use it.